Planarized copper cleaning for reduced defects

ABSTRACT

A process for treating a copper or copper alloy substrate surface with a composition and corrosion inhibitor solution to minimize defect formation and surface corrosion, the method including applying a composition including one or more chelating agents, a pH adjusting agent to produce a pH between about 3 and about 11, and deionized water, and then applying a corrosion inhibitor solution. The composition may further comprise a reducing agent and/or corrosion inhibitor. The method may further comprise applying the corrosion inhibitor solution prior to treating the substrate surface with the composition.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/450,479 [AMAT/3976], which was filed on Nov. 29,1999, and is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to copper (Cu) and/or copper alloymetallization in semiconductor devices with improved planarity andreduced defects. The present invention is applicable to manufacturinghigh speed integrated circuits having submicron design features and highconductivity interconnect structures with improved reliability.

2. Background of the Related Art

The escalating requirements for high density and performance associatedwith ultra large scale integration semiconductor wiring requireresponsive changes in interconnect technology. Such escalatingrequirements have been found difficult to satisfy in terms of providinga low RC (resistance and capacitance) interconnect pattern, particularlyin applications where submicron vias, contacts and trenches have highaspect ratios imposed by miniaturization.

Conventional semiconductor devices comprise a semiconductor substrate,typically doped monocrystalline silicon, and a plurality of sequentiallyformed dielectric interlayers and conductive patterns. An integratedcircuit is formed containing a plurality of conductive patternscomprising conductive lines separated by interwiring spacings, and aplurality of interconnect lines. Typically, the conductive patterns ondifferent layers, i.e,. are electrically connected by a conductive plugfilling a via hole, while a conductive plug filling a contact holeestablishes electrical contact with an active region on a semiconductorsubstrate, such as a source/drain region. Conductive lines are formed intrenches which typically extend substantially horizontal with respect tothe semiconductor substrate. Semiconductor “chips” comprising five ormore levels of metallization are becoming more prevalent as devicegeometries shrink to submicron levels.

A conductive plug filling a via hole is typically formed by depositingan dielectric layer on a conductive layer comprising at least oneconductive pattern, forming an opening through the dielectric layer byconventional photolithographic and etching techniques, and filling theopening with a conductive material, such as tungsten (W). Excessconductive material on the surface of the dielectric interlayer istypically removed by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP). One suchmethod is known as damascene and basically involves forming an openingin the dielectric interlayer and filling the opening with a metal. Dualdamascene techniques involve forming an opening comprising a lowercontact or via hole section in communication with an upper trenchsection. The entire opening is filled with a conductive material,typically a metal, to simultaneously form a conductive plug inelectrical contact with a conductive line.

Copper (Cu) and copper alloys have received considerable attention ascandidates for replacing aluminum (Al) in interconnect metallization.Copper and copper alloys are relatively inexpensive, easy to process,and have a lower resistivity than aluminum. In addition, copper andcopper alloys have improved electrical properties, vis-à-vis tungsten(W), making copper and copper alloys desirable metals for use as aconductive plug as well as conductive wiring.

An approach to forming copper and copper alloy plugs and wiringcomprises the use of damascene structures. However, due to copperdiffusion through dielectric layer materials, such as silicon dioxide, adiffusion barrier layer for copper interconnect structures is providedbetween copper or copper alloy interconnect structures and surroundingdielectric materials. Typical diffusion barrier metals include tantalum(Ta), tantalum nitride (TaN), titanium nitride (TiN), titanium-tungsten(TiW), tungsten (W), tungsten nitride (WN), titanium-titanium nitride(Ti—TiN), titanium silicon nitride (TiSiN), tungsten silicon nitride(WSiN), tantalum silicon nitride (TaSiN) and silicon nitride for copperand copper alloys. The use of such barrier materials to encapsulatecopper is not limited to the interface between copper and the dielectricinterlayer, but includes interfaces with other metals as well.

In conventional CMP techniques, a wafer carrier assembly is rotated incontact with a polishing pad in a CMP apparatus. The polishing pad ismounted on a rotating turntable or platen, or moving above a stationarypolishing table, driven by an external driving force. The wafers aretypically mounted on a carrier which provides a controllable pressureurging the wafers against the polishing pad. Thus, the CMP apparatuseffects polishing or rubbing movement between the surface of each thinsemiconductor wafer and the polishing pad while dispersing a polishingchemical with or without abrasive particles in a reactive solution toeffect both chemical activity and mechanical activity while applying aforce between the wafer and a polishing pad.

It is extremely difficult to planarize a copper or copper alloy surface,as by CMP of a damascene inlay, without generating a high degree ofsurface defects, such as corrosion, scratches, pitting and embeddedabrasive particles. A dense array of copper or copper alloy features istypically formed in a dielectric layer, such as a silicon oxide layer,by a damascene technique wherein trenches are initially formed. Abarrier layer, such as a tantalum-containing layer, e.g., tantalum (Ta),or tantalum nitride (TaN), is then conformally deposited on the exposedsurfaces of the trenches and on the upper surface of the dielectriclayer. Copper or a copper alloy is then deposited, as by electroplating,electroless plating, physical vapor deposition (PVD) or chemical vapordeposition (CVD) on the barrier layer, typically at a thickness betweenabout 8,000 Å and about 18,000 Å.

CMP is then conducted to remove the copper or copper alloy overburdenstopping on the barrier layer followed by barrier layer removal,employing a mixture of a chemical agent and abrasive particles, toremove the barrier layer, or conducting CMP directly down to thedielectric layer. Copper or copper alloy overburden is materialdeposited on the substrate in excess of the required amount to fillfeatures formed on the substrate surface. Buffing is optionallyconducted on the dielectric layer surface to remove defects, such asscratches in the dielectric materials and further planarize thedielectric material, leaving a copper or the copper alloy filling thedamascene opening. The resulting copper or copper alloy filling the dualdamascene has an exposed upper surface typically having a highconcentration of surface defects. These defects include corrosion, e.g.,corrosion stains, microscratches, micropitting and surface abrasiveparticles. Copper and copper alloy wafers exhibit a much greatertendency to scratch during planarization than dielectric materials, suchas oxides or nitrides. Copper and copper alloy surfaces corrode veryeasily and are difficult to passivate in low pH aqueous environments.Conventional wafer cleaning alone cannot completely eliminate suchdefects. Conventional practices for planarizing copper or copper alloysdisadvantageously result in a high defect count subsequent toplanarization. Such surface defects adversely impact device performanceand reliability, particularly as device geometries shrink into the deepsub-micron range. Therefore, there exists a need for methodologyenabling the planarization of copper and copper alloys with a reducedamount of surface defects. There exists a further need for such enablingmethodology that is compatible with conventional polishing techniquesand apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Aspects of the invention generally provide a method and composition forplanarizing a substrate surface including planarizing metals, such ascopper and copper alloys, with reduced surface defects and surfacecorrosion.

In one aspect, the invention provides a method of treating a substratesurface comprising copper or a copper alloy, the method comprisingapplying to the substrate surface a composition comprising one or morechelating agents, a pH adjusting agent to produce a pH between about 3and about 11, and deionized water, and then applying a corrosioninhibitor solution. The method may use a composition further including acorrosion inhibitor and/or a reducing agent. The method may furthercomprise treating the substrate surface with the corrosion inhibitorsolution prior to treating the substrate surface with the composition.

In another aspect, the invention provides a method for planarizing asubstrate surface containing a dielectric layer having an upper surfaceand at least one opening, a barrier layer lining the opening and on theupper surface of the dielectric layer, and copper or a copper alloyfilling the opening and the dielectric layer, the method comprisingremoving the copper or copper alloy layer and the barrier leaving anexposed substrate surface comprising copper or copper alloy, andtreating the exposed substrate surface comprising copper or the copperalloy by applying thereto a composition comprising one or more chelatingagents, a pH adjusting agent to produce a pH between about 3 and about11, and deionized water, and then applying a corrosion inhibitorsolution. The composition may further include a corrosion inhibitorand/or a pH adjusting agent. The method may further comprise removal ofthe barrier layer removal after removing the copper or copper alloylayer and prior to chemically treating the exposed substrate surface.The method may further comprise treating the substrate surface with thecorrosion inhibitor solution prior to applying the composition.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1-4 illustrate processing step of a method in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Embodiments of the present invention described herein enable effectiveand efficient planarization of a substrate surface having copper orcopper alloy containing features with significantly reduced defects,such as corrosion, scratches, pitting and embedded abrasive particles,consistent with the ever increasing demands for reliable interconnectpatterns having feature sizes in the deep submicron range. As usedthroughout this disclosure, copper or copper alloy is intended toencompass high purity elemental copper as well as copper-based alloys,e.g., copper-based alloys containing at least about 80 wt. % copper.

Embodiments of the invention described herein can be advantageously usedin a strategic multi-step process subsequent to CMP and barrier layerremoval. The multi-step methodology of embodiments of the inventiontreat the surface of the substrate generated during CMP copper or copperalloy layer and barrier layer removal leaving a substrate surface withreduced surface defects and passivated from oxidation and otherprocesses that can cause the formation of defects in the substratesurface following CMP processing. The treatment of the substrate surfacecan comprise removing a thin surface layer of the processed substrate,such as copper or copper alloy containing features formed in thesubstrate surface, and/or removing corrosion stains, typically copperoxide and/or copper hydroxide mixed with corrosion by-products.

The multi-step methodology of embodiments of the invention comprisetreating the exposed substrate surface of copper or copper alloycontaining features after barrier layer removal including applying anoptional corrosion inhibitor solution, a composition including one ormore chelating agents, such as an acid, e.g., citric acid, and/or abase, e.g., ammonium hydroxide and/or an amine, one or more pH adjustingagents to produce a pH between about 3 and about 11, and deionizedwater, and then applying a corrosion inhibitor solution. The compositionmay further include a corrosion inhibitor and/or a reducing agent.

The exact mechanism underpinning the reduction of defects and surfacepassivation achieved by embodiments of the invention is not known withcertainty. However, it is believed that the treatment in accordance withembodiments of the invention subsequent to barrier layer removal removesa thin layer of the surface of the copper or copper alloy containingfeatures containing defects and/or removes corrosion stains leaving arelatively defect free surface, and promptly passivates the relativelydefect free surface to avoid the generation of further defects. It isbelieved that the optional initial treatment with a corrosion inhibitorand deionized water reduces corrosion, particularly corrosion induced byan abrasive slurry used on the surface of the copper or copper alloycontaining features. Corrosion, unlike static etching, is non-uniformand, hence, should be avoided.

The optional initial treatment with a corrosion inhibitor solution cancomprise the use of any of various corrosion inhibitors, such asbenzotriazole (BTA) or 5-methyl-1-benzotriazole (TTA) present in anamount between about 0.01 wt. % and about 0.50 wt. % corrosion inhibitorand deinonized water. In one aspect, the corrosion inhibitor solutionincludes about 0.05 wt. % corrosion inhibitor and deionized water. Theinitial treatment comprises exposing the surface of the substrate forbetween about 3 seconds and about 10 seconds, e.g. In one aspect of theprocess, the corrosion inhibitor solution is applied for about 5seconds.

The substrate surface is treated with a composition treating the exposedsurface comprising copper or the copper alloy by applying thereto acomposition including one or more chelating agents, a pH adjusting agentto produce a pH between about 3 and about 11, and deionized water, andthen applying a corrosion inhibitor solution. The composition mayfurther comprise a corrosion inhibitor and/or a reducing agent. In oneaspect of the invention, the composition may be diluted between asaturated composition to a very dilute solution of about 1 vol % of thecomposition. In one aspect, the composition is diluted with deionizedwater between about 5 vol % and about 10 vol % of the originalcomposition.

It is believed that a subsequent treatment with the composition effectsremoval of up to about 50 Å of the surface of the features disposed inthe substrate surface and/or corrosion stains, generated by surfacecorrosion, microscratching and pitting, leaving a substantially defectfree surface. This surface treatment can be conducted by application ofthe composition between about 10 seconds and about 20 seconds.

The one or more chelating agents may include an acid, a base, or acombination thereof. The acid may include an organic acid, such as acarboxylic acid having one or more acid groups. Examples of acidssuitable for use in the composition include acetic acid, citric acid,maleic acid, and combinations thereof. The acid can be present in anamount up to about 40 wt. % of the composition. In one aspect of thecomposition, the acid comprises between about 5 wt. % and about 30 wt. %of the composition. The acid may also perform as a chelating agent inthe composition, for example, acetic acid may perform as a chelatingagent for copper or copper alloys. When a diluted solution of thecomposition is used for cleaning the substrate surface, the acidpreferably has a concentration between about 2 wt. % and about 10 wt. %of the diluted composition.

The base may include ammonium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide derivatives,amines, and combinations thereof. Examples of amines include primaryamines, such as methylamine and ethylamine, secondary amines, andcombinations thereof. The base may include compounds having one or moreamine groups or amide groups, such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid,methylformamide, or ethylenediamine. An example of an ammonium hydroxidederivative is tetramethyl ammonia hydroxide. The base can be present inan amount up to about 5 wt. % of the composition. In one aspect, thebase includes between about 0.5 wt. % and about 3.0 wt. % of thecomposition. The base may also perform as a chelating agent in thecomposition, for example, ammonium hydroxide may perform as a chelatingagent for copper or copper alloys. Generally, acids and bases that mayperform as chelating agents chemically react with material, such asmetal ions, from the surface of the substrate or in the composition toform a soluble metal complex for removal from the surface of thesubstrate.

The one or more pH adjusting agents may include non-oxidizing organicand inorganic acids or bases. The pH adjusting agent is generally in anamount sufficient to generate or maintain a desired pH between about 3and about 11, such as an acidic pH, for example a pH of about 3, or aneutral pH, e.g., a pH between about 6 and about 8. In one aspect, thecomposition has a pH between about 3 and about 7. Examples of pHadjusting agents include bases such as potassium hydroxide (KOH), and/orinorganic and/or organic acids, such as acetic acid, phosphoric acid, oroxalic acid.

An acidic pH adjusting agent may be used with a basic chelating agent; abasic pH adjusting agent may be used with an acidic chelating agent; andboth acidic and basic pH adjusting agents may be used with a combinationof acidic and basic chelating agents. The one or more pH adjustingagents may include acidic chelating agents, basic chelating agents, or acombination thereof in the composition.

Corrosion inhibitors, such as any various organic compounds containingan azole group, including benzotriazole (BTA), mercaptobenzotriazole, or5-methyl-1-benzotriazole (TTA), can be added to the composition in aamount between about 0.01 wt. % and about 0.50 wt. % of the composition.In one aspect, the corrosion inhibitor comprises about 0.05 wt. % of thecomposition.

Additionally, a reducing agent may be added to the composition toenhance removal of surface defects. The reducing agent can be selectedfrom the group of hydroxylamine, glucose, sulfothionate, potassiumiodide, and combinations thereof. The reducing agent can be present inan amount between about 0.01 wt. % to about 20 wt. % of the composition.In one aspect, the reducing agent comprises between about 0.01 wt. % toabout 5 wt. % of the composition. In one aspect of the invention, aconcentration of about 0.1 wt. % of reducing agent is used in thecomposition.

The corrosion inhibitor solution is then applied to the substratesurface. It is believed that the final treatment with the corrosioninhibitor solution described herein, such as TTA in deionized water,protects the surface during de-chucking and provides a passivatedsurface layer protecting the substantially defect-free surface of thecopper or copper alloy containing features and substrate surface fromattack by dissolved oxygen.

Embodiments of the invention described herein include removing thecopper or copper alloy overburden and barrier layer in any of variousconventional manners. For example, the copper or copper alloy overburdenand barrier layer can be removed during a single stage CMP technique, orthe copper or copper alloy overburden can be initially removed by CMPfollowed by removing the barrier layer. In either case, the substratesurface including the exposed surface of the copper or copper alloycontaining features can be subjected to an additional buffing step toremove defects prior to performing the multi-step procedure ofembodiments of the invention. Buffing is broadly defined herein as acontacting a substrate with a polishing pad and a chemical compositionor de-ionized water with low or minimal pressure between the polishingpad and the substrate to remove surface defects and particulate matterfrom the substrate surface. Buffing is typically performed with a softpolishing in the absence of abrasive materials. CMP of the copper orcopper alloy layer and barrier layer removal can be implemented in aconventional manner.

Conventional substrates and dielectric layers are encompassed byembodiments of the invention. For example, the substrate can be dopedmonocrystalline silicon or gallium-arsenide. The dielectric layer cancomprise any of various dielectric materials conventionally employed inthe manufacture of semiconductor devices. For example, dielectricmaterials, such as silicon dioxide, phosphorus-doped silicon glass(PSG), boron-and phosphorous-doped silicon glass (BPSG) and silicondioxide derived from tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) or silane by plasmaenhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) can be employed. Dielectriclayers in accordance with embodiments of the invention can also compriselow dielectric constant materials, including polymers, such aspolyimides, and carbon-containing silicon dioxide, e.g., Black Diamond™dielectric material available from Applied Materials, Inc., located inSanta Clara, Calif. The openings are formed in dielectric layers byconventional photolithographic and etching techniques.

An embodiment of the invention is schematically illustrated in FIGS.1-4, wherein similar features bear similar reference numerals. Referringto FIG. 1, dielectric layer 10, e.g., silicon oxide, is formed overlyinga substrate (not shown). A plurality of openings 11 are formed in adesignated area A in which a dense array of conductive lines are to beformed bordering an open field B. A barrier layer 12, e.g., TaN, isdeposited lining the openings 11 and on the upper surface of siliconoxide dielectric layer 10. Typically, the openings 11 are spaced apartby a distance C which is less than about 1 micron, e.g., about 0.2micron. Copper layer 13 is then deposited at a thickness D between about8,000 Å and about 18,000 Å.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, CMP is initially conducted in a conventionalmanner to remove the copper overburden stopping on TaN barrier layer 12.As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, barrier layer removal is conducted in aconventional manner to remove TaN layer 12. The resulting copperinterconnection structure comprises a dense array A of copper lines 13bordered by open field B. However, the upper surface 40 of the coppercontaining feature and the dielectric surface 41 exhibit an unacceptablyhigh defect count, e.g., measured at best of at least 750 defects,comprising primarily corrosion stains, microscratches, micropits andabrasive slurry particles.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention described herein, thecopper containing feature surface 40 and dielectric surface 41 aretreated by a multi-step procedure comprising applying an optimalsolution of a corrosion inhibitor, followed by a composition comprisingone or more chelating agents, a pH adjusting agent to produce a pHbetween about 3 and about 11, and deionized water, and then applying asolution of a corrosion inhibitor. The optional initial treatment with acorrosion inhibitor solution can comprise deionized water and betweenabout 0.01 and about 0.50 wt. %, e.g., about 0.05 wt. %, of a corrosioninhibitor, such as BTA or TTA. In one aspect, the corrosion inhibitorsolution comprises about 0.05 wt. % corrosion inhibitor and deionizedwater. The optional initial treatment is performed for a period betweenabout 3 and about 10 seconds, e.g., about 5 seconds.

The composition is then applied to the substrate to treat the substratesurface. The composition, for example, may comprise up to about 40 wt. %of an acid, e.g., between about 5 and about 30 wt. % citric acid, up toabout 5 wt. % of ammonium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide derivatives,amines, and combinations thereof, e.g., between about 0.5 and about 3.0wt. % ammonium hydroxide, the remainder deionized water. The compositionhas a pH between about 4 and about 5.

One embodiment of the composition described herein that has beenobserved to produce effective results includes about 26 wt. % citricacid, about 3 wt. % ammonia, deionized water, and has a pH of about 4.

The composition is applied to the substrate surface for a suitableperiod of time, e.g., between about 10 seconds and about 30 seconds.

Subsequently, the substrate is de-chucked while applying thereto acorrosion inhibitor, such as TTA or BTA in deionized water. Thetreatment with an optional corrosion inhibitor, followed by cleaningwith the composition described herein, and de-chucking with a corrosioninhibitor, effectively removes a defective upper surface of the copperor copper alloy containing feature 40 and dielectric surface 41 leavinga relatively defect-free passivated surface 50, as shown in FIG. 4.Experiments conducted employing the inventive procedure resulted in aplanarized substrate surface having copper or copper alloy containingfeatures having a surface with a defect count less than 139, even lessthan 100, as measured.

Embodiments of the invention described herein are applicable toplanarizing a substrate surface during various stages of semiconductormanufacturing employing any of various types of CMP systems. Embodimentsof the invention described herein enjoy particular applicability in themanufacture of high density semiconductor devices with metal features inthe deep submicron range.

While foregoing is directed to the preferred embodiment of theinvention, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devisedwithout departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof isdetermined by the claims that follow.

1. A method of treating a substrate surface comprising copper or acopper alloy, the method comprising: applying to the substrate surface acomposition comprising: one or more chelating agents, wherein the one ormore chelating agents comprise an acid and a base; one or more pHadjusting agents to produce a pH between about 3 and about 11; deionizedwater; and a reducing agent, wherein the reducing agent comprisesbetween about 0.01 wt. % and about 20 wt. % of the composition; and thenapplying a corrosion inhibitor solution.
 2. The method according toclaim 1, further comprising treating the substrate surface with thecorrosion inhibitor solution prior to the applying to the substratesurface the composition.
 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein thecorrosion inhibitor solution comprises between about 0.01 wt. % andabout 0.50 wt. % corrosion inhibitor and deionized water.
 4. The methodaccording to claim 3, wherein the corrosion inhibitor is selected fromthe group consisting of benzotriazole, 5-methyl-1-benzotriazole, andcombinations thereof.
 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein theone or more chelating agents comprising an acid and a base has an acidconcentration of up to about 40 wt. % of the composition.
 6. The methodaccording to claim 5, wherein the acid is a carboxylic acid having oneor more acid groups.
 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein theacid is selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, citric acid,maleic acid, and combinations thereof.
 8. The method according to claim1, wherein the one or more chelating agents comprising an acid and abase has a base concentration up to about 5 wt. % of the composition. 9.The method according to claim 1, wherein the base comprises betweenabout 0.5 wt. % and about 3 wt. % of the composition.
 10. The methodaccording to claim 8, wherein the base is selected from the groupconsisting of ammonium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide derivatives,amines, and combinations thereof.
 11. The method according to claim 1,wherein the composition further comprises a corrosion inhibitor.
 12. Themethod according to claim 11, wherein the corrosion inhibitor in thecomposition comprises between about 0.01 wt. % and about 0.50 wt. % ofthe composition.
 13. The method according to claim 11, wherein thecorrosion inhibitor in the composition is selected from the groupconsisting of benzotriazole, 5-methyl-1-benzotriazole, and combinationsthereof.
 14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the compositionhas a pH between about 4 and about 5 and comprises between about 5 wt. %and about 30 wt. % citric acid, and between about 0.5 wt. % and about3.0 wt. % ammonium hydroxide.
 15. The method according to claim 2,wherein the treating the substrate surface with the corrosion inhibitorsolution lasts about 3 and about 10 seconds.
 16. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the composition is applied between about 10 and about20 seconds.
 17. A method of treating a substrate surface comprisingcopper or a copper alloy, the method comprising: applying to thesubstrate surface a composition comprising: one or more chelatingagents, wherein the one or more chelating agents comprise an acid and abase; one or more pH adjusting agents to produce a pH between about 3and about 11 ; a reducing agent wherein the reducing agent is selectedfrom the group consisting of hydroxylamine, glucose, sulfothionate,potassium iodide, and combinations thereof; and deionized water; andthen applying a corrosion inhibitor solution.
 18. The method accordingto claim 17, wherein the corrosion inhibitor solution comprises betweenabout 0.01 wt. % and about 0.50 wt. % corrosion inhibitor and deionizedwater.
 19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the corrosioninhibitor is selected from the group consisting of benzotriazole,5-methyl-1-benzotriazole, and combinations thereof.
 20. The methodaccording to claim 18, wherein the corrosion inhibitor solution isapplied between about 3 and about 10 seconds.
 21. The method accordingto claim 1, wherein the one or more pH adjusting agents are selectedfrom the group consisting of a non-oxidizing inorganic acid, anon-oxidizing organic acid, a non-oxidizing inorganic base, anon-oxidizing organic base, and combinations thereof.
 22. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the one or more pH adjusting agentscomprise an acidic chelating agent, a basic chelating agent or acombination thereof.
 23. A method of planarizing a substrate surfacecontaining an dielectric layer having an upper surface and at least oneopening, a barrier layer lining the opening and the upper surface of thedielectric layer, and copper or a copper alloy filling the opening andon the dielectric layer, the method comprising: removing the copper orcopper alloy layer and the barrier leaving an exposed substrate surfacecomprising copper or copper alloy in the opening; and treating theexposed substrate surface comprising copper or the copper alloy byapplying thereto a composition comprising one or more chelating agents,one or more pH adjusting agents to produce a pH between about 3 andabout 11, and deionized water, wherein the one or more chelating agentscomprise an acid and a base and wherein the composition furthercomprises a reducing agent, wherein the reducing agent comprises betweenabout 0.01 wt.% and about 20 wt% of the composition; and then applying acorrosion inhibitor solution.
 24. The method according to claim 23,further comprising removing the barrier layer after removing the copperor copper alloy layer and prior to chemically treating the exposedsubstrate surface.
 25. The method according to claim 23, whereinremoving the copper or the copper alloy layer compriseschemical-mechanical polishing (CMP) the copper or the copper alloylayer.
 26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the methodcomprises: removing the copper or copper alloy layer and stopping on thebarrier layer; removing the barrier layer and leaving the exposedsubstrate surface comprising copper or copper alloy features.
 27. Themethod according to claim 23, wherein: the dielectric layer comprises asilicon oxide; and the barrier layer comprises tantalum (Ta) or tantalumnitride (TaN).
 28. The method according to claim 23, wherein the methodcomprises chemically treating the exposed substrate surface comprisingcopper or the copper alloy layer to remove a portion of the substratesurface of the copper or copper alloy or to remove corrosion stains fromthe copper or copper alloy substrate surface.
 29. The method accordingto claim 28, wherein the method comprises chemically removing up toabout 50 Å from the exposed substrate surface comprising copper or thecopper alloy.
 30. The method according to claim 23, further comprisingtreating the substrate surface with the corrosion inhibitor solutionprior to applying the composition.
 31. The method according to claim 23,wherein the composition comprises deionized water, citric acid andammonium hydroxide.
 32. The method according to claim 23, wherein themethod comprises: mounting the substrate on a carrier in a CMPapparatus; CMP the substrate using a polishing pad; performing thetreating of the exposed substrate surface by applying the composition;and applying the corrosion inhibitor solution while separating thesubstrate from the polishing pad.
 33. The method according to claim 30,wherein the corrosion inhibitor solution comprises between about 0.01wt. % and about 0.50 wt. % corrosion inhibitor and deionized water. 34.The method according to claim 33, wherein the corrosion inhibitor isselected from the group consisting of benzotriazole,5-methyl-1-benzotriazole, and combinations thereof.
 35. The methodaccording to claim 23, wherein the one or more chelating agentscomprising an acid and a base has an acid concentration of up to about40 wt. % of the composition.
 36. The method according to claim 35,wherein the acid is a carboxylic acid having one or more acid groups.37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the acid is selected fromthe group consisting of acetic acid, citric acid, maleic acid, andcombinations thereof.
 38. The method according to claim 23, wherein thebase comprises up to about 5 wt. % of the composition.
 39. The methodaccording to claim 38, wherein the base comprises between about 0.5 wt.% and about 3 wt. % of the composition.
 40. The method according toclaim 38, wherein the base is selected from the group consisting ofammonium hydroxide, ammonium hydroxide derivatives, amines, andcombinations thereof.
 41. The method according to claim 23, wherein thecomposition further comprises a corrosion inhibitor.
 42. The methodaccording to claim 41, wherein the corrosion inhibitor in thecomposition comprises about 0.01 wt. % and about 0.50 wt. % of thecomposition.
 43. The method according to claim 41, wherein the corrosioninhibitor in the composition is selected from the group consisting ofbenzotriazole, 5-methyl-1-benzotriazole, and combinations thereof. 44.The method according to claim 23, wherein the composition has a pHbetween about 4 and about 5 and comprises between about 5 wt. % andabout 30 wt. % citric acid, and between about 0.5 and about 3.0 wt. %ammonium hydroxide.
 45. The method according to claim 30, wherein thetreating the substrate surface with the corrosion inhibitor solutionlasts about 3 and about 10 seconds.
 46. The method according to claim23, wherein the composition is applied between about 10 and about 20seconds.
 47. The method according to claim 30, wherein the corrosioninhibitor solution comprises between about 0.01 wt. % and about 0.50 wt.% corrosion inhibitor and deionized water.
 48. The method according toclaim 30, wherein the corrosion inhibitor is selected from the groupconsisting of benzotriazole, 5-methyl-1-benzotriazole, and combinationsthereof.
 49. The method according to claim 23, wherein the corrosioninhibitor solution is applied between about 3 and about 10 seconds. 50.The method according to claim 23, wherein the pH adjusting agent isselected from the group consisting of a nonoxidizing inorganic acid, anonoxidizing organic acid, a nonoxidizing inorganic base, a nonoxidizingorganic base, and combinations thereof.
 51. The method according toclaim 23, wherein the one or more pH adjusting agents comprise an acidicchelating agent, a basic chelating agent or a combination thereof.
 52. Amethod of planarizing a substrate surface containing a diaelectric layerhaving an upper surface and at least one opening, a barrier layer liningthe opening and the upper surface of the dielectric layer, and copper ora copper alloy filling the opening on the dielectric layer, the methodcomprising: removing the copper or copper alloy layer and the barrierleaving an exposed substrate surface comprising copper or copper alloyin the opening; and treating the exposed substrate surface comprisingcopper or the copper alloy by applying thereto a composition comprisingone or more chelating agents, one or more pH adjusting agents to producea pH between about 3 and about 11, a reducing agent, and deionizedwater, wherein the one or more chelating agents comprise an acid and abase and wherein the reducing agent is selected from the groupconsisting of hydroxylamine, glucose, sulfothionate, potassium iodide,and combinations thereof; and then applying a corrosion inhibitorsolution.
 53. A method of treating a substrate surface comprising copperor a copper alloy, the method comprising: applying to the substratesurface a composition comprising: one or more chelating agents, whereinthe one or more chelating agents comprise an acid and a base; one ormore pH adjusting agents to produce a pH between about 3 and about 11 ;and deionized water; and then applying a corrosion inhibitor solution,wherein the composition comprises about 26 wt. % citric acid, about 3wt. % ammonia, deionized water, and a pH of about
 4. 54. A method ofplanarizing a substrate surface containing an dielectric layer having anupper surface and at least one opening, a barrier layer lining theopening and the upper surface of the dielectric layer, and copper or acopper alloy filling the opening and on the dielectric layer, the methodcomprising: removing the copper or copper alloy layer and the barrierleaving an exposed substrate surface comprising copper or copper alloyin the opening; and treating the exposed substrate surface comprisingone or more chelating agents, one or more pH adjusting agents to producea pH between about 3 and about 11, and deionized water, wherein the oneor more chelating agents comprise an acid and a base; and then applyinga corrosion inhibitor solution, wherein the composition comprises about26 wt.% citric acid, about 3 wt.% ammonia, deionized water, and a pH ofabout 4.